Fuel control device for flasher lamps



Dec. 17, 1963 D. ATKINS ETAL FUEL CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLASHER LAMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 29, 1960 Fig.

Lyle D. Aflrins Warren .E Ho/mgreen, Jr Edward 5. Anderson 2O INVENTORS WW fi-Mgu Dec. 17; 1963 D. ATKINS ETAL 3,114,251

FUEL CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLASHER LAMPS Filed Sept. 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Lyle D. Afkl'ns Warren E l-lolmgreerwn Edward E Anderson INVENTORS I BY ywyfim United States Patent 3,114,251 FUEL CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLASHER LAMPS Lyle l). Atkins, Warren E. Holmgreen, In, and Edward E.

Anderson, San Antonio, Tex, assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Warning Lites Company, Inc.,

San Antonio, Tex, a corporation of Texas Filed Sept. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 59,321 3 Claims. (Cl. 67111) The present invention relates to a control valve assembly which regulates the flow of fuel to be burned within a flasher lamp of the type placed on highways for warning motorists.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a control valve assembly used in conjunction with a flasher type lamp burning a fuel and air mixture which valve assembly so controls the supply of fuel from a fuel reservoir as to create an intermittent flashing signal in the flasher lamp.

Another object of this invention in accordance with the foregoing object, is to provide a fuel control apparatus for flasher lamps which will continue to properly function despite angular displacement of the apparatus from a vertical position within a reasonable range of angular displacement.

A further object of this invention is to provide fuel control apparatus for operating flasher type lamps which apparatus is easily adjustable for varying the frequency of the lamp flash, intensity of the flash and duration thereof.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a flasher lamp combination having the above noted attributes but which is simple, compact, portable and involves a fewer number of parts than devices having comparable features.

A still further object of this invention is to provide operating apparatus for flasher lamps which involves fluid operated rather than mechanically operated mechanism less likely to break down and accordingly having a longer life with less repair or maintenance problems.

The instant invention therefore involves a control valve body to which fuel is supplied and from which the fuel is delivered with air to a burning lamp which may be mounted within a glass enclosure having colored lens to provide a flashing light signal of any desired color. The fuel may be obtained from a fuel reservoir located beneath the glass enclosure and valve body within a container. The fuel may be a liquid type petroleum of a volatile nature thereby supplying through a tank valve and regulator a fluid fuel under pressure for further regulation and control by the valve assembly of this invention for delivery to the flasher lamp. The valve control assembly accordingly includes a continuous fuel passage having an adjustable restriction therein to supply suflicien-t fuel to the lamp to provide a pilot light therein. The valve assembly also includes a second passage means for connecting the fuel inlet to the valve assembly to the flasher lamp at intermittent intervals so as to intermittently increase the delivery of fuel to the flasher lamp for providing the flashing signal therein. The second intermittent passage means therefore also includes an adjustable restriction therein for building up of fuel pressure within a pressure chamber, the size of which pressure chamber may be varied. A one-way valve is thereby opened in response to a predetermined pressure Within the pressure chamber for supply to the flasher lamp: of a larger volume of fuel for a limited duration of time. By controlling the size of the restriction in the intermittent fuel passage and the volume of the pressure chamber thereof, the frequency of the flash and the volume of gas delivered may be varied. Also, by varying the restriction size within the continuous pilot light passage, the duration of the flash may be varied.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a front elevational view of the flasher lamp combination with parts shown in section.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a top plan view of the lamp and valve assemblies illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a partial longitudinal sectional view of the control valve assembly and flasher lamp of this invention, the valve assembly being illustrated in its condition between flashing signals of the lamp.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View of a bottom portion of the control valve assembly illustrated in FIGURE 3 but illustrating the valve control assembly in its condition while the flasher lamp is burning with its flashing signal.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 illustrates a complete flasher lamp assembly Ill. It will therefore be observed that the flasher lamp assembly 10 includes at the bottom thereof a container 12 within which liquid fuel of some type of liquid petroleum 14 is dis posed. The fuel 14 is of a volatile nature so that the fumes thereof form a gas received by the tank valve 16 disposed within the control portion 18 of the flasher lamp assembly 10. The gaseous fuel is thereby conducted by conduit 20 to a pressure regulator valve mechanism 22 whereby the fluid fuel pressure is regulated and delivered at a predetermined pressure to the control valve assembly 24 by means of the inlet conduit 26. The control valve assembly 24 delivers controlled quantities of the fuel to a delivery conduit 28 into a flasher lamp 30 within which a mixture of the gaseous fuel and air is burned. The lamp 30 is disposed within a transparent container 32 mounted on top of the control portion 18, said container 32 including therein a plurality of colored lens 34 enabling the selection of different colors through which the flashing lamp 30 may transmit the light therefrom. It will therefore be appreciated that the control valve assemb1y'24 must be operative to provide a continuous pilot light burning within the flasher lamp 30 and periodically or intermittently an increased light or flame in order to provide the flashing signal for which purpose the flasher lamp is designed.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, the construction and operation of the control valve assembly 24 will be described in detail. It will therefore be observed that the control valve assembly 24 includes a vertically disposed valve body 36 to which the inlet conduit 26 is connected by means of fitting 38 adjacent the bottom of the valve body 36. The inlet conduit 26 is therefore in communication with an inlet passage or bore 40. A continuous fuel flow passage 42. is provided within the valve body 36 in communication with the inlet passage 4%) for the purpose of providing a continuous flow of fuel to the lamp 30 in order to sustain a pilot light burning therein. Accordingly, the passage 42 is provided adjacent the top thereof with a needle valve element '44 to provide a restricted passage or orifice 46 in order to regulate the magnitude of the pilot light or the amount of continuous flow to the lamp. An adjustable screw member 48 is therefore connected to the needle valve element 44 for axially moving the needle valve element in order to vary the size of the orifice. The restricted passage 46 is therefore connected to a vertically disposed delivery chamber 50. The chamber 50 is closed at its upper end by means of a fitting member 52 within which an outlet passage 54 is disposed which extends upwardly through a gas nozzle 56 in order to deliver the gaseous fuel to the lamp 30'.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that a regulated continuous flow of fuel will be delivered to the lamp 30 in order to sustain the pilot light therein. However, the valve assembly 24 also periodically supplies an increased supply of fuel in order to create a larger flame or light within the lamp 30 in order to produce the flashing signal. Accordingly, the inlet passage 4-9 for the fuel is also connected to a pressure storage chamber 58 adjacent the bottom of the valve body 36 which pressure chamber 58 is in communication with the inlet bore 40 via a restricted passage 60. The restriction of the passage 60 is varied by means of an orifice needle valve 62 the position of which is varied by means of the frequency control member 64 in order to vary the size of the orifice restricting flow through the restricted passage i'l. Accordingly, rotation of the threaded control member 64 will vary the axial position of the needle valve 62 in order to vary the orifice size and the influence of the supply pressure. The frequency control member 64 is therefore threadedly engaged within a pressure chamber volume adjuster member 66 which is also fitted within the bore 68 forming the pressure chamber 58. Accordingly, by axially positioning the volume adjuster member 66 within the bore 68 the size of the pressure chamber 58 may be varied. An adjustment lock member 70 is therefore threadedly engaged with the projecting end of the screw control member 64 in order to axially position both the member 64 and member 66 within the bore 63 of the valve body. It will therefore be apparent that by axially positioning the threaded control member 64 relative to the volume control member 66 and axially positioning such assembly within the bore 68 by means of the control lock element 70 both the volume of the pressure control chamber 58 and the orifice opening about the needle valve 62 may be regulated. It will therefore also be apparent that by regulating the needle valve 62 and the position of the volume control member 66 both the volume of fuel supplied to the chamber 58 and the time it takes to build up to a predetermined pressure therein may be varied in order to vary the frequency of the flashing signal.

In order to supply the adjustably predetermined volume of fuel accumulated within the pressure chamber 58 when the pressure therein reaches a predetermined value, a one-way flow control mechanism is provided for delivering the fuel accumulated within the pressure chamber 58 to the flasher lamp in order to provide the increased flow of fuel thereto hereinbefore referred to. The flow control mechanism therefore includes an outlet passage 72 connected to the pressure chamber 58 in order to provide fluid communication between the pressure chamber 58 and the delivery chamber 50. As seen in FIGURE 3 the outlet passage 72 is normally closed by a one-way ball valve element 74 biased to its seated valve closing position by the force of gravity although not sensitive to any precise vertical position of the assembly 24. A piston valve member 76 is slidably disposed within the delivery chamber 50 and positioned above the ball valve element 74 to hold it in its valve closing position. The piston valve member 76 includes therein a restricted pressure release passage 78 which provides fluid communication between the delivery chamber 50 above the piston valve member 76 and the outlet passage 72 from the pressure chamber 58 when the ball valve element 74 is in its open position as more clearly seen in FIGURE 4.

It will therefore be apparent that when the pressure within the pressure chamber 58 under the influence of the supply pressure and the control of the flow valve 62 and volume adjuster 66 reaches a predetermined value in excess of the delivery influencing pressure existing within the delivery chamber 50 by virtue of the supply of fuel thereto through the continuous restricted passage 46, the ball valve element 74 together with the piston valve member 76 will be raised off the outlet passage seat 30 as seen in FIGURE 4 so that the accumulated volume of fuel within the pressure chamber 53 may be delivered to the upper portion of the delivery chamber 50 through the release passage 78. The release passage 7 3 will therefore necessarily be less restrictive than the restriction in the passage 68 formed by the needle valve element 62. It will therefore also be observed in FIGURES 3 and 4 that a limit piston valve stop element 82 is provided in order to limit upward movement of the piston valve member 76.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, it will be observed that the fuel being delivered from the outlet passage 54 in the nozzle portion 56 is received within the fuel delivery conduit 28 for delivery of the fuel to the lamp 30. The fuel delivery conduit 28 is therefore also flared outwardly at the bottom thereof forming the air intake 84 so that the fuel may be mixed with the air for proper burning within the lamp 30. The lamp 30 is of conventional design including the glass enclosure 86 removably attached to the fitting 88 connected to the end of the fuel delivery conduit 28. A flash restrainer screen element 99 is therefore also provided in order to confine the flame within the glass enclosure of the lamp 30.

From the foregoing description, operation and utility of the valve control apparatus will be apparent. It will therefore be appreciated that the control screw member 64 by regulating the size of the orifice within the restrictive passage 60 may vary the pressure build up time within the pressure chamber 58 to thereby vary the frequency of the intermittent flash. Also by varying the volume of the chamber 58 by axially positioning of the volume control member 66 the amount of fuel delivered intermittently to the flasher lamp 30 may be varied in order to vary the intensity of the flash. It will further be appreciated that the predetermined differential pressure to which the one-way valve element 74 responds in order to open the outlet passage 72 for delivering the increased volume of fuel to the flasher lamp may be varied by varying the pressure of the continuously supplied fuel for pilot light purposes. Accordingly, by varying the orifice within the restrictive passage 46 by control of the threaded control member 48, the pressure at which the one-way valve element 74 opens and closes may be varied in order to vary the duration of the increased fuel supply to the lamp 30. From the foregoing therefore, it will be appreciated that the control valve assembly of this invention is easily adjustable and also adjustable to a greater extent than comparable devices heretofore used. Also the adjustability and functioning of the valve control assembly is accomplished by apparatus having a minimum of parts and an arrangement capable of being manufactured with unexpected economy. Furthermore, the valve control apparatus because of the absence of mechanical operating mechanisms is operative with an unexpected degree of reliability. For example, the instant apparatus may continue to operate despite any angular displacement of the flasher lamp assembly within 30 from its vertical position inasmuch as gravity influenced displacement is not being relied upon as the critical operational factor.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fuel control device comprising, a vertically disposed valve body, inlet means connected to said valve body adjacent a bottom thereof, an adjustable volume pressure chamber disposed within said valve body adjacent the bottom thereof in communication with said inlet means through an adjustable orifice, a vertically elongated delivery chamber vertically disposed within said valve body, an adjustable continuous flow passage connecting said inlet means to the delivery chamber, one-way valve means connecting said pressure chamber to the delivery chamber in response to a predetermined pressure in said pressure chamber and operative Within a substantial range of angular displacement of the valve body from a vertical position, and outlet means disposed at the top of the valve body in communication with the delivery chamber, the one-Way valve means comprising an outlet conduit connecting the pressure chamber to the delivery chamber, a biased valve element closing said outlet conduit, a piston valve member slidably disposed Within said delivery chamber above the valve element and restricted flow passage means disposed within the piston member for establishing communication between the delivery chamber above the piston member and the outlet conduit when opened.

2. A flow control device having an inlet portion adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure and an outlet passage adapted to be connected to a fluid consuming device comprising: a valve body, a delivery chamber formed in said valve body in fluid communication with said outlet passage, a pressure chamber formed in said valve body, restricted flow passage means mounted in said valve body for simultaneously conducting fluid from the inlet portion to the outlet chamber at a continuous restricted flow rate and to the pressure chamber at a variable flow rate, a flow passage formed in said valve body between said delivery and pressure chambers,

one-Way valve means mounted in said valve body for closing said flow passage against the opening bias of the pressure in the pressure chamber, pressure responsive piston means movably mounted in said delivery chamber for holding the one-Way valve means closed against said opening bias and restricted passage means mounted in said piston means for restricting flow of fluid into the delivery chamber upon displacement of the piston means by the one-way valve means against the pressure in the delivery chamber to effect fluctuations in the flow rate of fluid in the outlet passage.

3. The combination of claim 2, including adjustment means for changing the variable flow rate of fluid into the pressure chamber and the volume of said pressure chamber to vary the frequency and amplitude of the flow rate fluctuations in the flow of fluid from said outlet passage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 831,473 Ridderhof Sept. 18, 1906 943,300 Dalen Dec. 14, 1909 1,010,049 Hirst Nov. 28, 1911 1,320,209 Dalen Oct. 28, 1919 1,673,834 Lindahl June 19, 1928 1,701,305 Meyers Feb. 5, 1929 1,738,160 Viksten et al. Dec. 3, 1929 

1. A FUEL CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED VALVE BODY, INLET MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE BODY ADJACENT A BOTTOM THEREOF, AN ADJUSTABLE VOLUME PRESSURE CHAMBER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID VALVE BODY ADJACENT THE BOTTOM THEREOF IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID INLET MEANS THROUGH AN ADJUSTABLE ORIFICE, A VERTICALLY ELONGATED DELIVERY CHAMBER VERTICALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID VALVE BODY, AN ADJUSTABLE CONTINUOUS FLOW PASSAGE CONNECTING SAID INLET MEANS TO THE DELIVERY CHAMBER, ONE-WAY VALVE MEANS CONNECTING SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER TO THE DELIVERY CHAMBER IN RESPONSE TO A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IN SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER AND OPERATIVE WITHIN A SUBSTANTIAL RANGE OF ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT OF THE VALVE BODY FROM A VERTICAL POSITION, AND OUTLET MEANS DISPOSED AT THE TOP OF THE VALVE BODY IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE DELIVERY CHAMBER, THE ONE-WAY VALVE MEANS COMPRISING AN OUTLET CONDUIT CONNECTING THE PRESSURE CHAMBER TO THE DELIVERY CHAMBER, A BIASED VALVE ELEMENT CLOSING SAID OUTLET CONDUIT, A PISTON VALVE MEMBER SLIDABLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID DELIVERY CHAMBER ABOVE THE VALVE ELEMENT AND RESTRICTED FLOW PASSAGE MEANS DISPOSED WITHIN THE PISTON MEMBER FOR ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DELIVERY CHAMBER ABOVE THE PISTON MEMBER AND THE OUTLET CONDUIT WHEN OPENED. 